On a Windows Vista or Vindows 7 disk, all versions of the operating system are present, from Starter to Ultimate, and everything in between. So, if you want too upgrade to a more capable version of Windows down the road, all you need to do is pop the Windows disk in, let Windows Anytime Upgrade do its thing, and you're done. It seems like Intel is experimenting with a similar technology... For its processors.

An intriguing concept, but also incredibly confusing, and, dare I say it, misleading to customers

I don't like the idea myself, but how is it misleading to customers? They're being sold a chip marketed with certain capabilities, and they're getting a chip with those capabilities. It's not as if Intel are being deceptive over what they're doing.

And it *does* make sense from Intel's point of view. It means they can manufacture a single part, and sell it at a variety of price points. Someone willing to spend $X can have the fully enabled chip, someone willing to pay half that can have a chip with half the capabilities, without Intel having to manufacture two different chips.